image from presentation by Alamo Architects to the NISD School Board on 9-27-16
CAPTION: The initial draft of the new fine arts building as presented to the School Board. These designs are preliminary and subject to change.
The demolition of the A building it is set to start this summer, and the construction will not begin until late spring 2017. Both the demolition and construction will take around 18 months to complete.
Alamo Architects, the firm selected to design the new building, presented the first draft of possible schematic designs for the changes at a recent NISD board meeting. A two-story building and a whole new auditorium with seating for around 900 will take the place of the current A building, a circular structure that is one of the original three round buildings on campus. Along with the demolition and construction of the new fine arts building, the plans indicate a redesign of several open courtyard areas, the bus loop, and parking areas. Of note are changes to the stairs going from the upper courtyard between the A and C buildings, to the lower courtyard in front of the B building, which feature large stair-like seating spanning between the stairs, creating an outdoor theatre look.
image from presentation by Alamo Architects to the NISD School Board on 9-27-16
CAPTION: In the preliminary designs, this photo features the potential redesign of the transition between the upper courtyard and lower courtyard. In this viewpoint, the perspective is from the downstairs B Building entrance, looking toward the new fine arts building.
The A building is one of the oldest buildings in the district and with the growing fine arts programs and necessities that come along with it, the building will be upgraded to accommodate.
“There is going to be a new auditorium that will have a fly loft and a depressed orchestra pit that is one of the exciting features that this facility will have. The stairs that you use to go down to the B building, are going to be completely replaced with a more comfortable and useable space,” Assistant Superintendent for Facilities & Operations Leroy San Miguel said.
image from presentation by Alamo Architects to the NISD School Board on 9-27-16
CAPTION: A first look at the initial plans for the new auditorium, which currently includes a centralized control booth, fly system above the stage, and an orchestra pit.
The construction is not only hoping to reconstruct the A building, but add additional developments to fix the traffic problems experienced on campus. There are two proposals that could be added to regulate traffic flow including a new bus loop and a layout change to the front entrance to the school.
image from presentation by Alamo Architects to the NISD School Board on 9-27-16
CAPTION: This image shows possible redesigns of the bus loop area and front entrance of the school, as well as the potential footprint of the new fine arts building.
With the demolition of the fine arts building comes many questions of where the electives are going to be moved into. The administration and district officials have yet to decide where all of the fine arts classes will go because of the difficulty of meeting all of the needs for electives such as band, art, orchestra and theatre.
“Nothing has been approved by the superintendent yet, but we are in the process of working through all of that because we want to make sure that while that transition takes place, we are not in any way hindering any of the programs,” Principal Ada Bohlken said.
Programs that will be affected by the changes include Band, Orchestra, Mariachi, Art, Choir, Theatre, Technical Theatre, Journalism, the college and career center, and some of ALE. There are many people involved in making these types of decisions, which is why there will not be any official information of where the classes will be moving until Spring Break. If the new portables are installed in time, the changes to campus will start being seen as early as December.
“More than likely, [portables] will be at the front of the school on the band pad because that is the only area we have for now,” Bohlken said.
When the decision on where the other classes currently housed in the A building will be relocated, the administration wants to make sure that it won’t affect the students or the classes.
“Wherever they move the kids to, I want to make sure that nothing goes wrong or that the kids are still able to be afforded the same opportunities that everyone else has,“ Bohlken said.
Since the A-building has been around for over 50 years, the facility does not support the student growth or meet the needs of the arts programs. The construction is bringing much excitement to faculty and students because of the new opportunities that it will bring, even if it will cause displacement for two years.
“I am most excited for the kids to have state of the art equipment and it will make them more competitive in the professional field. It will level the playing fields for my students,” Theatre Arts teacher Annie Bridges said.
images from presentation by Alamo Architects to the NISD School Board on 9-27-16
CAPTION: These images show plans for the new fine arts building and auditorium from various angles.
For many underclassman there is a feeling of losing their ‘home’ or safe haven in the school while the building is being demolished and reconstructed. It will not only displace them, but it will likely change their usual practice time and setting.
“This is where I come in the mornings, after school, during lunch or whenever something bad is happening, and while I could see myself going into a portable, it’s not the same feeling as walking through those double doors and going into the black box,” sophomore theatre student Angel Montufar said.
images from presentation by Alamo Architects to the NISD School Board on 9-27-16
CAPTION: More potential views of the new Fine Arts building, as presented to the NISD Board by Alamo Architects.